Ex bombarded by husband’s texts

Stephen Hind, ex-husband of Brendan Rodgers' new girlfriend, Charlotte Hind, who was appearing at South Sefton Magistrates Court.

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A spurned husband who bombarded his ex with a stream of angry texts after she began dating a new man was handed a restraining order.

A court heard that Stephen Hind sent a string messages and videos to his ex-wife Charlotte Searle after he had spied a new boyfriend leaving her home on March 27 this year.

One of the texts read: “I watched him leave your house on our wedding anniversary. Playing ******* happy families.”

Magistrates in Sefton heard how Ms Searle and Hind split in October after a 17-month marriage.

But things turned sour after Hind learned that “another party” had been involved during their marriage. Ms Searle applied for a non-molestation order forbidding him from contacting her or going within 50 metres of her home in Southport.

JPs were told that in March this year, Ms Searle turned on her phone to a large number of texts and video clips from her ex, with some indicating that he had been watching her.

Other video clips were recorded when the couple were still together and enjoying happier times.

Sarah Drysdale, prosecuting, told the court that Ms Searle had suffered “a great deal of upset and anxiety by her ex-partner” and was “constantly on edge”.

Reading from a victim statement, Ms Drysdale said: “She really hoped for a workable relationship. She realises that will never be the case and had to obtain a non-molestation order.

“She gets scared that he will never stop. All she wants is for Mr Hind to leave her alone.“

His solicitor David Richardson told the court his client had found the split difficult. He said Hind was left “emotional and upset” when he saw his ex’s new partner leave her house and sent the messages.

He said: “Clearly, when there’s been a divorce there’s a period of time it takes for things to settle down. Things were difficult between them.”

Mr Richardson said that later Hind learned that during their marriage there had been “another party” involved, which made “things more difficult between them”.

He continued: “There is no suggestion that he made any threats to the complainant. There has never been any suggestion that he has made any kind of physical approach to her.

“There has been no contact between him and his ex-wife since his arrest.”

Chair of the bench, Colin Mahon, sentenced Hind to a 14-week electronic curfew between 8pm and 5.30am and told him to pay £510 in compensation and costs.

Hind was also handed a 12-month restraining order which bans him from approaching Ms Searle or entering Ibbotsons Lane in Sefton Park, Liverpool.